262 KING CHARLES I
collect his scattered men: it would take a long time to bring them back to the decisive point.1
Fairfax was not in flight: indeed, that very brave gentleman could never be persuaded to remain at his post as general when a post of danger offered. He was in among the infantry, hard pressed by the King's centre. Skippon was down with a wound. Fairfax had lost his steel-cap, and was fighting bareheaded among the pikes.
It was Cromwell who saved the battle. He commanded the cavalry on the right wing. The ground here was rough and pitted with rabbit-holes. (There are still rabbits on Naseby field, descendants perhaps of the seventeenth-century conies who told their children to lie still while foolish humans made " such dreadful pother " overhead.) Across the warren rode Cromwell, hurling back Langdale's horsemen to where Charles waited on Dust Hill. Instead of pursuing, Cromwell wheeled inward to help the hard-pressed infantry in the centre, and caught the Royalists on flank and rear. Fairfax's men took new heart, Ireton was recaptured. One by one the Royalist regiments were broken. When Rupert galloped back, only one still held its place, fighting, says a Puritan soldier, " with incredible resolution." Round behind them swept Rupert to find King Charles and urge him to fly. Charles was desperately trying to lead a last attack. They would not let him. " Will you go to your death ?" they said, seized his bridle, and led his horse away. The battle was over, the King's army fled.
Everything was captured—flags, guns, baggage, even the King's private letters. The Puritans reached Sibber-toft in no melting mood. They had heard stories of the plunder of Leicester, of a Welsh colonel called Thomas recruiting for the King by slashing at objectors' legs with his sword. Thomas lay dead on Naseby field, and a good
1By taking EdgehiU and Naseby as typical battles, I have been unfair to Rupert. la both he seems to have made a siCTJ39ft' smd disastrous mistake. There iff no other instance of it in his other battles.